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Abstract

Data was collected on typically developing, normal hearing children between the ages of 7 and 12 years (n = 28) using a concise yet comprehensive battery of behavioral tests of auditory processing including the FPT, DPT, RGDT, DDT, CRW, and MLD. The extraneous variables of language ability, attention, phonological processing, and intelligence were taken into consideration through the administration of screening measures in these areas. Maturational effects were analyzed using MANOVA to identify differences in performance between the three age groups of children (7-8 year olds; 9-10 year old; 11-12 year olds). A comparison between right and left ear scores did not reveal significant differences between ear scores on any of the monaurally scored AP tests. Because of this, average scores were also used in the data analysis. Statistically significant differences were found on the FPT, DPT, and DDT tests between the age groups with better performance observed for older children compared to younger children. Auditory processing performance was not significantly different between male and female participants. Additionally, a regression analysis revealed that auditory processing test performance was not a significant predictor of non-verbal IQ score. In order to comprehensively evaluate auditory processing abilities in children, audiologists should select tests that assess a wide array of underlying auditory skills such as sound localization and lateralization, auditory discrimination, dichotic listening, auditory pattern recognition, temporal processing, and performance with competing or degraded acoustic signals (AAA, 2010; ASHA, 1996; 2005a). With the exception of the 500 Hz MLD test, the comprehensive auditory processing test battery used in this study has clinical utility for children 7 to 12 years of age. A lack of statistically significant maturational effects on some of the tests in the battery may be attributed to the small sample size used in this study. The collection of additional participant data using the same methodology as the current study will assist in creating local normative data and a comprehensive auditory processing test battery for the Maryland area.